Did you know that there are about 130 thousand hectares of potatoes in Colombia? However, one of the problems potatoes face is Tecia solanivora, also known as potato moth. This dangerous pest affects potato plantings, causing damage to tubers.
According to studies, potato moths can lead to losses of up to 50% in the field and up to 100% in warehouses.
Despite the fact that many growers use insecticides in crops, they are ineffective because the most voracious stage of the insect - the caterpillar - develops underground (inside the tuber), out of the reach of these products.
Faced with this situation, a group of scientists from Colombia proved that the most effective way to deal with this pest is rhizobacteria, and offer a new method of protecting the potato culture using natural and beneficial bacteria.
“Rhizobacteria are able to directly or indirectly activate systemic resistance induced in plants against insects through jasmonate salicylate and ethylene, which are key plant hormones that regulate induced systemic resistance,” said Javier Vanegas, project director.
According to researchers, microorganisms supply the plant with nutrients, protect it from fungi, bacteria and insects, thus mitigating abiotic stresses from drought or prolonged rain. In turn, the plant supplies rhizobacteria with an environment rich in carbon sources and other elements that are necessary for the development of these beneficial bacteria.
According to Vanegas, an overdose of chemical insecticides in crops causes serious problems, such as an increase in the cost of production by 14%, risks of developing resistance to harmful substances of agrochemical preparations in pests, a decrease in the populations of beneficial microfauna, and an increase in pesticide residues in tubers, soil, water and air. , the risk of intoxication in humans and animals. To implement this project in practice, it is necessary to inoculate tuber seeds with rhizobacteria before or after planting after analysis of various natural and biological conditions.
Source: I www.freshplaza.co, https://www.agroxxi.ru